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Highlights of Bristol: Falling in Love in 3 Steps
Bristol is the city of festivals: Hundreds of hot air balloons take to the sky during the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, and thousands of visitors flock to Upfest, Europe's largest graffiti and street art festival, every year in this coastal city of southern England. It's hard not to fall in love with the city, says travel blogger Anika Landsteiner, who shares her highlights with us.
When I arrived at the Bristol harbor, two things stood out to me: the cries of seagulls and the smell of warm crepes. In Bristol, everything revolves around food - contrary to the common belief that England has little to offer aside from beans and bacon for breakfast and fish & chips at all other times. Not at all. And this 'On the contrary' feeling pervaded the entire weekend I spent in the city. There are three good reasons (and many more) to fall for Bristol - and to be truly surprised!
Food - Pizza, Falafel, Gelato, bring it on!
The hot afternoon in Bristol kicked off, as it should, at Swoon Gelato. The ice cream shop that opened in February at College Green has been booming since that gray winter day, and even the owners were a bit surprised that it took off so well from the start.
I learned the subtle differences between 'Ice cream' and 'Gelato'. For instance, gelato is 4-6 degrees Celsius warmer than regular ice cream, so around -12 degrees instead of -18 degrees. It's creamier and a sorbet has water as a base, while gelato is made with milk.
Luisa from Bologna, the head of the ice cream shop, explained these differences to me while the shop owner prepared a variety of delicious treats - pistachio, matcha, cheesecake. 'I scream for ice cream' - since that hot afternoon at Swoon, it's been more like 'for gelato' for me!
It was supposed to be an evening with Italian flair, and I passed the time before dinner wandering along the harbor. Life in Bristol happens outdoors during the summer. Young people sit with wine bottles along the water, others relax on the terraces of beautiful restaurants.
And so did I a few hours later, because Pizzeria Pi Shop (editor's note: now closed) called to wrap up the Italian night during sunset. My choice as a vegetarian was a pizza with broccoli, feta cheese, and caramelized onions. A summer poem that melted in my mouth at the sight of the giant stone oven.
Great idea: The tap water had rosemary in it, which was extremely refreshing! The Pi is brand new, so go and enjoy it. Not least because the owners also own Casamia next door, which has a Michelin star.
Travel tip: The award-winning St. Nicholas Market in the old town. Beautifully located, perfect for strolling and indulging. The selection of cakes, the falafel, the finger food - you won't want to leave. And you don't have to.
Art in Public Spaces! Street Art in Banksy's Hometown
Anyone who does a little research on Bristol beforehand cannot overlook the street art. It's no wonder that world-famous Banksy has roots here and the city is generally very open to art.
The Upfest has now become Europe's largest street art and graffiti festival; it was founded nine years ago simply to create and showcase some art. The collective has grown into a large, diverse, and exciting festival - over 30,000 visitors are treated every year to great music, a food market, and works from around 300 artists whose creative processes can be observed live.
Additionally, the art fair The Other Art Fair (at Arnolfini right by the harbor) showcases modern art available for purchase. The next edition of The Other Art Fair in Bristol will take place in the summer of 2017.
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta - looking up is worth it!
What makes Bristol special in the summer are the various festivals. It feels like the town is bustling every weekend - the Balloon Fiesta is just one of them, but perhaps the most famous. Hundreds of hot air balloons take flight and soar over the beautiful landscape surrounding Bristol with its soft, green hills. Landing can happen, for example, between Bristol and Bath. Right where time still ticks a bit slower.
Typical English: The balloons often fly so low over the rooftops that someone has been known to comment on a garden barbecue with 'Can you put one more sausage on the grill, please?'.
Good to know: Due to thermal currents, hot air balloons in England usually launch in the early morning or evening hours. The Bristol Balloon Fiesta takes place each year in the first half of August.
Ah, Bristol, you captured my heart in a storm with many little facts that make you what you are: a city with a high quality of life, hidden spots to discover, and the perfect touch of the unusual.
In Brief:
- The breathtaking Clifton Suspension Bridge is one of Bristol's landmarks.
- In the harbor lies Brunel's Great Britain, which was the longest passenger ship in the world in the 19th century and is known as 'the ship that changed the world.' Engineer Brunel not only built the ship but is also known for a number of other remarkable achievements: Bristol's suspension bridge (mentioned above), the Thames Tunnel, and the dry dock he designed. In his short life, he sought to consistently outdo himself and I would claim he succeeded.
- Bristol has more Georgian houses than the also notable town of Bath, which is located just 12 miles away; they are simply more spread out and thus less known to tourists.
- 84 percent of the residents voted against Brexit, and Bristol itself is now quite traumatized by the realization that it is genuinely on the side of the minority.
- For Sherlock Holmes fans: Large parts of the popular series were filmed in Bristol - simply download the corresponding street map and walk in the footsteps of your favorite detective!
- The city is full of subculture, having produced some bands that are now world-famous - Massive Attack and Portishead, to name just two. Bristol often gives the impression of being a miniature version of London.
- Along with Cary Grant, the legendary pirate Blackbeard also hails from Bristol. Aye!